Strait Of Hormuz Shut Again? Iran Issues Clarification After Israeli Strikes On Lebanon Test Ceasefire

Strait Of Hormuz Shut Again? Iran Issues Clarification After Israeli Strikes On Lebanon Test Ceasefire

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Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 23:58 IST

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused the United States of violating the memorandum of understanding between the two countries to end the war.

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Iran announced that it had shut the Strait of Hormuz again. (IMAGE: AFP)

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has rejected reports that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors, has been shut again after an overnight Israeli attack on Lebanon threatened a ceasefire between the United States and Tehran.

Earlier, the New York Post reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ordered the Strait of Hormuz to be closed again, accusing the United States of violating the memorandum of understanding between the two countries to end the war, which was electronically signed between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday.

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“Since Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, the complete lifting of the naval blockade, and the withdrawal of American terrorist forces from the Persian Gulf and the region are among the main conditions of the agreement between Iran and the United States, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until these conditions are met," it said.

“All ships are requested, for the sake of their security and safety, not to approach the Strait of Hormuz. Any vessel that defies this directive will be targeted," it warned.

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei later dismissed reports regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that Iran has taken the necessary measures to ensure safe passage following the MoU with the US, and shipping through the Strait is currently underway.

This came after Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said all ships seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz should submit a transit request “48 hours in advance", despite its reopening under the US-Iran deal. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries one-fifth of the world’s energy exports, was shut after the US-Israeli strikes on February 28, causing oil and LNG prices across the world to soar.

Israeli Attacks On Lebanon

The IRGC statement comes as fighting intensified in south Lebanon overnight. Lebanese authorities said at least 18 people were killed and 33 others wounded in heavy Israeli air strikes across 11 towns since midnight.

The violence is the worst since the sealing of a US-Iran deal to halt the wider war in West Asia, which was supposed to also pause the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said that its forces will remain in Lebanon “as long as necessary" and vowed that Hezbollah would pay a “heavy price" for attacking Israeli soldiers.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel wanted “permanent war" after Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir said “all Lebanon must burn".

“This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It’s a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime. The genocidal death cult headquartered in Tel Aviv is a threat to all of humanity. It threatens all humans. Its only interest is permanent war," Araghchi said.

US Regional Presence

The US Central Command on Thursday announced that it had formally lifted its two-month blockade on Iranian ports, making it unclear what Tehran meant by the embargo removal not being “complete."

Furthermore, maritime trackers said commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose to its highest rate in two months after the deal was struck. A total of 25 commercial vessels crossed the newly reopened strait on Thursday, the highest number since mid-April, according to data from tracking firm AXSMarine.

On June 18, “we observed 25 verified commercial vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz – the highest single-day count since 18 April and more than five times the average daily level recorded during the first ten days of June", AXSMarine said.

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About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: June 19, 2026, 18:33 IST

News world Strait Of Hormuz Shut Again? Iran Issues Clarification After Israeli Strikes On Lebanon Test Ceasefire

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